32 Sept 7th–Sept 13th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs | “My Blue Heaven.” Equally sweet and hazy as well as intense and foreboding, it’ll practically lift you off the ground and bring you into some version of rock ‘n’ roll heaven. There’s cool, and then there’s this absolutely dreamy band. ‘Demented’ WESTON SMITH Anyone who has read this feature enough will know how we adore the “wistful wizard” Weston Smith. The experimental musician is not only hugely talented and whimsical to boot, but he’s also quite prolific. In 2023 alone, he’s released stand- alone tracks (including “Fear of the Heavens”), a self-titled instrumental album in June and “Art Thou Lost?” in August (and that’s not even mentioning October’s “MUSIC FOR DUNGEON CRAWLING.”) With tracks like “Demented,” from the aforementioned “Art Thou Lost?,” it’s easy to see why Smith remains so compelling as he forges a track made for getting lost in the most magical way possible. Could he possibly end the year with another two records? ‘There With Me’ SUNDRESSED For roughly a decade now, Tempe’s own Sundressed have made what they call “emotional indie punk.” Whether they’re touring the U.S. or just gigging around the Valley, they continue to find new ways and levels of expressing that potent emotionally. That includes their latest, self-titled album, a 10-track affair that includes the undisputed standout, “There With Me.” An emo ballad disguised as a pop-punk jam, this track speaks to love and interpersonal connection with a depth and grace that the band have been refining all this time. Prepare to feel things very, very deeply. ‘Serpents Bidding’ SLEDGEHAMMER FACELIFT If you happen to start a band called Sledgehammer Facelift, you can only really play a very specific kind of music. But this local five-piece aren’t just a “Brutal Death Metal” band as their social media indicates — there are lots of layers at play. Case in point: “Serpents Bidding,” a new single that serves as a sampler of their forth- coming debut album. Yes, it’s the kind of metal that can strip the paint off a tank, but the band’s technical prowess and singular approach to songwriting make this feel decidedly novel and all the more forceful. ‘NEW PERSONAL LOW’ FLOWERBOY Back in September 2021, we introduced you to FLOWERBOY, the nom de plume of local musician Alexander Danieli. In recent months, Danieli has proven quite busy, including releasing “NEW PERSONAL LOW.” While the song itself is reflective of its slightly downer title (“isn’t it funny how I’m in free-fall again?”), Danieli’s brand of “indie disco pixel meltdown” is on clear display with yet another scintillating electro-pop banger. You say low, and we say genuine personal heights. ‘measure’ ITSDISBELIEF Meanwhile, in April 2023, we introduced you to a rather compelling MC named ItsDisbelief. Hailing from Phoenix, ItsDisbelief called himself the “best experi- mental venture out of Arizona since Injury Reserve.” While tapes like “Keeping Balance” provided some evidence for that rather lofty claim, the rapper is clearly ready to further cement his claim with the 14-track “stellar.” Calling it the “culmi- nation of my journey,” the tape features “measure,” a glitchy, slightly spacey joint that feels like boom bap rap if it were recorded from the Triangulum Galaxy. Believe it or not, he’s that good, folks. Local rapper Teek Hall. (Photo by Everyshowjoe) Playlist Picks from p 30
